Hello … bonjour … and welcome back! Thanks so much for all your lovely comments and notes following my last post (eek … a month ago!), especially as I’ve hardly been around in blogland to make visits or leave comments as I usually would. I appreciate each of you … and am looking forward to being about a little more often from now on. Today, I’m here to tell you about our new challenge at Twofer … it’s such a happy one as our prompt is …
It always puts me in mind of a quote from Winnie The Pooh (well, A A Milne) … nobody can be uncheered with a balloon … how true … just try it!
I chose to make one conventional (birthday) card and one unconventional (Christmas) card this month … using a balloon stamp from Simon Says Stamp’s Big Birthday Wishes set. Here’s a closer look at them individually …
The balloons here are being held onto by a cool penguin from Ellen Hutson … and he’s balancing precariously on the birthday sentiment, which is made up of two different SSS sets. The penguin was lightly coloured with pencils … though his bright balloons, all shined up with glossy accents, are the star of this show. I added an embossed frame with a die from The Greetery … and kept it all deliciously CAS.
The balloons were turned upside down for my unconventional design …
… and became baubles hanging from a star strewn pine garland. The pine sprig is from Stampendous and was stamped multiple times in three different greens to give depth to the garland. The balloon baubles were stamped in red, I added the lettering using a Lawn Fawn alphabet set and topped it all off with a good dose of Glossy Accents to add shine. The supplementary sentiment is from WPlus9. I finished off with a scattering of gold stars … funny how they landed in just the right places to adorn the hanging strings isn’t it?
How about joining us with some stamped, die cut or stencilled balloons of your own … we’d love to see you (and them) in our gallery! All the details about how to play along, including rules and FAQs are over at the Twofer blog … together with plenty of fabulous inspiration from the DT. We’re delighted to have Greta from GG Creations sharing her talents with us as our Guest Designer this month … welcome, Greta! Do go and enjoy an inspiring wander around Greta’s blog … there’s so much loveliness on display … and you can always say hello while you’re there.
My balloon toting penguin is heading to …
Addicted To Stamps And More – Birthdays
Krafty Chicks – Stamp Act
Papercraft Challenges – Heat or Dry Embossing
Seize The Birthday – Anything Goes … No Hearts Option
… and my balloon baubles are joining in at …
Happy Little Stampers Christmas – Anything Goes … No Berries Option
Thanks so much for coming by, your visits and comments are always a joy! Anita 🙂
My Papercraft World 
I hear you about not being around blog land Anita – story of my life! Such a unique way to use those balloons. Fabulous idea to use them as a Christmas card. I never seem to use my balloon stamps much!
So clever, Anita! Love that sweet penguin with his balloons and the Christmas bauble balloons is such a clever design!! Balloons certainly do bring on a smile!! Stay safe! 🙂
Well, you’ve smashed it again my friend! That little penguin, perched precariously, clutching his cluster of cheer makes me smile! Who wouldn’t love getting this cutie for their birthday?!! Awesome! And you’ve made me (almost) want to hang branches and baubles come Christmas time! What a clever idea! Great depth to those greens, and I’m loving the little stars! Well done, you! Missing you, and wish we lived next door! Sending hugs. Bev
LOve the look on this darling Penguin’s face – he’s one flipper away from being carried away! You and Bonnie have both been so clever to use a balloon as an ornament, Anita!
Love them both!
=]
Bonjour Anita. You are a creative genius — balloons becoming ornaments. Wow! The penguin is so cute and I really like the embossing folder. Hope you are doing well.
You put your Clever Hat on this month, Anita, on top of your usual Professional Card Artist Hat! I say that because your designs are always pristine and clean, and colored and composed beautifully! Not a smidge or smudge or crookidyness in sight! I love, love, love that sweet penguin toting his birthday balloons and balancing on the letters, demonstrating just how remarkably light on their feet penguins are! Perfect frame to finish it off! And your upside down balloon baubles are glossified and glorious hanging from the pine garland and adorned with stars! Yes, deliciously CASlicious! LTCWY! LFTNW! Take care and keep safe! Hugs, Darnell
A-MAZ-ING! How you continue to come up with these ideas for Twofer is beyond my poor pea brain. Both these cards are executed perfectly, of course, but the inventiveness of your brilliant mind is obvious on each of them. Love those EBE penguins so seeing them incorporated into a card always delights me but the Christmas ornaments…gaaaah!…they’re just so meticulously spaced and stamped. Then the way you hung them from those teensy, little stars is mind boggling. It’s clear to me that I need a course in the proper way to apply glossy accents, as well. Maybe a couple of art classes, too.
Welcome back my friend. Love both cards especially the penguin x
Your twofer with balloons is just to fall in love with. I like sweet penguin balancing on the sentiment and holding balloons. And up-side-down balloons making Christmas decoration is perfectly stamped and very smart idea. 🙂
Sonja
Wow….love both of your fabulous cards! Your Christmas card is so fun and very festive using those balloons as ornaments, so clever!
Cute! Love the penguin but yes the balloons are the “stars” — even upside down, brilliant of you, Anita! Nobody can resist a balloon
Hola, Anita! So great to hear from you! What beautiful cards! Both are so lovely! Sending you warm hugs!
Bonjour, Anita! I hope all is well with you and your family! I love your classic birthday card with your darling penguin…so sweet! How clever you are to turn your balloons into Christmas baubles! I must say, you have truly inspired me to play along this month…Thanks! Sending hugs, Barb xx
Sometimes it can be so easy, just turn it upside down and you’ve created something completely new. Both cards are beautiful!!!
I think we all have periods when we are not online as often as we want.
You are very creative with the balloon theme.
Thank you for joining our challenge.
I love to see you back again.
-xiss- Renate.
(DT Papercraft Challenges)
Wonderful twofer Anita! The cheery penguin with his balloons makes me smile and I am very impressed with the Christmas version. You are very creative. Good to see you whenever you can post. 🙂 Crafty hugs!
Wow, I so love your balloon twofers Anita!! How cool is that penguin with his party balloons, he just makes me smile from ear to ear?! Love him and love this traditional birthday card. The frame is very cool as well, love the look. But it is your Christmas card that blows me away! I love how you turned your balloons upside down to make them into baubles, very clever! Love your pine branches, the stars that are holding your baubles are perfect and festive. Your “merry” fits perfectly in the bauble balloons, how perfect. Great twofers Anita! Hugs, Brenda
Two FABULOUS cards Anita!! Your penguin balancing on the birthday sentiment and toting his colorful birthday balloons just couldn’t be any cuter…Pooh was definitely right that you can’t be un-cheered by a balloon! And your upside down balloon ornaments are so pretty and festive and I love how you added the letters for “merry” to each one! And to have those stars fall perfectly in place…you really are amazing my friend!! Lovely, lovely cards! Take care. Hugs. :0)
Wonderful! Love your idea of turning balloons into baubles!
Balloons and Baubles how fabulous. Such fun cards Anita.
Yep. We do think alike, Anita! I love your merry row of balloon baubles! So fun with the greenery that they hang from! And that penguin with his balloon bouquet is so festive and adorable! What a fun birthday card!
Adorable penguin with a perfect balance…The balloons look so pretty and what a wonderful CAS card. Fun and creative Christmas card and how lucky was that with the stars? x. Both cards are fabulous Anita and great to seeing you crafting x.
Both of your cards are so creatively CAS, Anita! It’s always fun to see the unconventional uses for stamps, and your baubles are fantastic! I love the pine garland you created too! That ‘lil penguin is so adorable propped up on the sentiment and a wing full of balloons!
Both of your designs are fabulous Anita, but your idea to ‘bauble-ize’ the balloons was genius!!
Such a super fun birthday card. Your tuxman is adorable with his bright balloons. Thanks for joining in at STB
Oh my! Two gorgeous cards Anita, that penguin is adorable, beautifully coloured and looks a wee bit anxious as he is precariously balanced! Turning the balloons upside down for baubles is brilliant! Such a clever idea and design. Take care and stay well and thankyou for playing along at Seize the Birthday too, Cathy x
Perching on the sentiment so he does float away with his balloons is so cute. The Christmas card is lovely and so clever to use the balloons as ornaments with the letters inside.
Both great cards, Anita! So creative using balloons for Christmas ornaments!
I love your fun Twofer! The ornament card is very clever! Thanks so much for joining us at HLS Christmas:)
Two darling cards, Anita and welcome back to blogland! Just love your penguin with the balloon trio and your clever MERRY balloons turned baubles – so clever!! Thanks for the Twofer inspiration!!
Fabulous cards! I love how you positioned the penguin on the sentiment. I like how you placed the two words, leaving space for the penguin. Loving the clean and simple look of your card. Thanks for joining us at Addicted to Stamps and More!
sue n.
I love both of these (how cute is that penguin?) but your ornament cards genius, Anita!
once, again, you have demonstrated with great creativity and eye for design why you are on the two-fers design team, anita! the first card is so fun with the cute little penguin and the balloons used in the traditional way. using the balloons for ornaments on the second is so creative and clever!
I especially like your balloon Christmas card, Anita. I hope you are well. Sending a hug to you!
Anita what a lovely pair of cards with balloons! I love how you made a Christmas card with balloons, so fabulous!
That penguin looks like he is going on an adventure! Hopefully the balloons will hold the air, as he won’t be able to fly, the little fellow! Balloon baubles – a brilliant idea! And you even got to add a Christmas card to your pile! I should get going on those, too…..